Fire Emblem Awakening: Vortex
by Dead Space Wing
Summary: What do you get when you take FE:A and put characters from Black Rock Shooter, Vocaloid and Utau, and Ren Vortex into it? They get Emblemized and you get FE:AV, a master retelling of the game with new characters, new events, and new areas! The choices you make here now matter more than ever before. Contains MUxMU, RockxMiku, LilyxRuko, and more!
1. Verge of History Anew

Oh, how the world has changed…

There are no kingdoms left in this world of ours. Nay, they've been replaced by governments and free society, and in their wake, many stories of old have been lost to the faded shroud that is time. However, there is one tale that endures, one tale that is still told to this day all across the globe. It is about a young man's fight to save the world from an ancient evil, and his trusted friends that fought tirelessly by his side. It is a tale that takes its place across time itself, and the bonds that each of our heroes shared because of it.

Allow me now to tell you the tale. The tale of Prince Chrom and the Awakening Chronicles.

* * *

Chrom leaned up against a tree and sighed, happy to have a small break from his duties. Things were not peaceful as of late. Ylisse, his country, was being harassed by Plegia, their neighbor. The Plegians were sending brigands and bandits to assault Ylisse's villages and towns, hoping to instigate a war between them. He knew why. When he was only a boy, his father waged a long and bloody war against Plegia for reasons only he knew. The war took its toll on both kingdoms, threatening to destroy both of them in steel and fire until finally, his father was murdered, thus ending the war. However, their troubles only spread from there. Plegians and Ylissians alike demonized his father, and feared that the next in line to rule, his sister Emmeryn, would carry on her father's brutal legacy. Thankfully, this was not to be. His sister was doing everything she could to repair relations with her own people as well as Plegia's. After many years, they were finally able to get back their own people's trust, but the Plegian's seem to want no part of it. The brigand and bandit attacks started en masse, and in response, Chrom had put together a militia of sorts called the Shepherds. Ever since then, they've been driving them out one by one and earning the respect and support of the people. But he realized the influx of these cravens were picking up in number and in boldness. They couldn't keep doing this forever. They needed some sort of push to drive back the brigands without instigating another war. But how?

The blue haired prince sighed deeply as a knight with brown hair and a stern face approached him.

"Milord."

Chrom turned to him. "Hey Frederick. Lissa up yet?"

Frederick nodded. "Aye. She awoke just as soon as you left. We're prepared to leave at anytime."

"Alright." Chrom replied. "Then let's not waste any time. Onward to the capital!"

"Yes, milord." The both of them walked back towards their campsite and saw Lissa packing up the last few things back into their travel bags.

"Phew! That should do it!" She said.

"Right, then we should head out now." Chrom took the lead as Frederick mounted his horse and followed with Lissa alongside him.

They walked for miles upon miles through field and forest on their way to their capital, Yllisstol. It was an easy walk for a decently built Shepherd on foot or one on a horse like Frederick, but for Lissa…

"Ugh…how much farther is it?" She asked wiping some sweat off.

"Not too much farther milady." Frederick chuckled.

"That's what you said ages ago…"

"C'mon sis." Chrom smiled. "It isn't all that bad."

"Easy for you to say! You're not the one worried about some kind of bug or something crawling around your tent last night! I barely got any sleep at all…" She went to yawn but…

"AH!?" She tripped over something big and solid and landed flat on her face. "Ow ow ow…" she groaned. "What in the-?" She stopped midsentence.

She was looking at a girl a bit older than she was with long black twin tailed hair and in black and violet robes lying down in the field. The girl didn't respond to being tripped over.

"Chrom!?" Lissa called to her brother.

"What? What is it?"

"I-I found someone here! She's not waking up!"

Chrom and Frederick rushed back over to Lissa and the girl. Sure enough the girl was still unconscious. Chrom scratched his head.

"The nearest village is quite a ways from here. Maybe she got lost and collapsed?"

Frederick checked the girl again. Lissa gasped.

"Then she's probably really hungry!"

"Milord, if I may? I've received reports about a brigand trap similar to this. They put a villager they captured out in an open space, and when people go to help, it sets them up for a textbook ambush."

Lissa frowned at Frederick. "But what if it isn't a trap? We have to do SOMETHING."

"Well, what do you suppose we should do?" Chrom asked her.

"…I don't know…"

Suddenly, the girl's eyes began to open, the sun light reflecting off of her bright blue eyes. Chrom and Lissa both were relieved when she began to stir.

"I see you're awake now." Chrom smiled.

"Hey there!" Lissa greeted.

"There are better places to take a nap than on the ground you know. Here, give me your hand." He offered his hand to her, to which she accepted. He pulled her off of the ground and onto her feet. "You all right?"

The girl nodded and smiled. "Y-yes…Thank you Chrom."

"Ah, so you've heard of me then?" Chrom said with slight surprise.

"No, actually…it's strange. You name just…came to me." The girl replied while holding her head.

"Hmm…that's odd. Tell me, what's your name? What brings you here?"

Then just behind her, another person came walking to them. He was covering his gray eyes from the sun while his brown spiky hair moved slightly in the breeze. Indecently, he was wearing the same robes the girl was, except his were a tad brighter than hers and he was also slightly taller than her. He was holding his head similar to how she was. His eyes landed on the prince. "…Chrom? Is that you?"

"Yes, that would be me. And you are?" Chrom asked with increasing nervousness in his voice.

The teen seemed to strain. "I don't think I…I can't…remember." He looked to the girl standing beside him. "Who are you? You seem familiar too…"

"…I don't know. I'm not sure who I am." She answered.

"Huh. I guess that makes two of us then." He checked their robes. "…We're both wearing the same robes, so we've got to be connected somehow right? But…by what?"

"I wish that I knew…" The girl lowered her gaze.

"Alright, what your names?" Chrom asked.

The two teens seemed to strain to remember. The boy spoke up first. "I…don't know…" The girl shook her head. "Where are we exactly?"

"Hey! I've heard of this!" Lissa exclaimed. "It's called amnesia!"

"It's called a load of Pegasus dung." Frederick cut in. "We're to believe you both know milord's name, but not your own?"

"But it's the truth!" Both of them pleaded at the same time.

Chrom thought for a second. "Now hold on Frederick. What if they're telling the truth? We can't just leave them here. What kind of Shepherds would we be then?"

"Aye, all the more reason to not let wolves into our flock. Caution and vigilance takes priority." Frederick countered. Chrom sighed. He didn't earn his nickname Frederick the Wary for nothing it seemed.

"Then we'll take them both with us and sort them out at the next town. At least let us do that."

"Wait!" The girl chimed in. "Don't we get to have any say in this?" The boy nodded in agreement.

Chrom held up his hand. "Peace friends. We'll hear all you both have to say when we reach town. Now come on." He and Lissa walked ahead with the two teens being herded along by Frederick behind them. The boy exchanged nervous glances with the girl. 'What's going to happen to us?' both of them thought.

* * *

After a while of walking, the boy sighed. "What are you going to do to us? Are we to be your prisoners?"

Chrom turned and chuckled at the comment. "No. Once we establish you're no enemy of Ylisse you'll both be free to go."

The girl perked up from her thoughts. "Ylisse? Is that where we are?"

"You've never heard of the haildom?" Frederick laughed. "Ha ha! Someone pay these actors! They play quite the fools!"

Chrom must have noticed the both of them getting ready to face palm. "Come on Frederick, knock it off. Our land is known as the haildom of Ylisse. Our ruler, Emmeryn, is called the exalt." He stopped in the road for a second. "I suppose proper introductions are in order. My name's Chrom –but you both knew that already…The delicate one over there is my sister Lissa.

"HEY! I am not delicate!" Lissa frowned while her face turned red. She smiled at the two mystery teens. "Just ignore that last thing my brother said, he can be a bit thickheaded at times. But it's a good thing the Shepherds found you! Brigands would have been a rude awakening!"

"Wait, Shepherds?" the boy asked. "You tend sheep in full armor?"

Chrom smiled. "It's a dangerous job. Just ask Frederick the Wary there." He pointed a thumb to Frederick.

"A title I wear with pride. Gods forbid one of us has an appropriate level of caution." He looked down to the two teens. "To the contrary, I have every wish to trust you strangers, but my station mandates otherwise."

"Oh. Alright, we understand sir." The boy replied. "I think we would do the same if we were in your greaves. My name is…" The boy then winced a bit when he said that. "…Ren. Ren is my name…strange…why am I just now remembering that?"

"You too?" The girl asked the boy named Ren. "I just remembered my name too…it's Stella."

"Well," Ren smiled. "At least that's one mystery solved, right?" Stella nodded happily.

"Ren and Stella…" Chrom repeated. "Hmm…are those names foreign? Well anyway. We can discuss it later. The town is only a bit farther this way-"

"Chrom!" Lissa cried. "Look! The town!"

Chrom quickly snapped his view to the town and growled when he saw smoke coming out of the center. "Blast! Brigands, I'd wager! Frederick, Lissa, let's go!

"What about these two?" Frederick asked as he detached a gleaming Silver Lance from the side of his horse.

"Unless they're on fire too, it can wait!" Chrom drew his own weapon, a peculiar looking sword that seemed to beckon in both Ren and Stella's memory somehow.

"Well put, milord."

"What are we waiting for? Let's go!" Lissa was already halfway down the road with a staff in her hand.

"But what about-" Stella began to say, but stopped when she realized it was only her and Ren there. "So…what now? She asked him.

"Well, from the way I see it, we might be able to escape now. But if we do, we'll be even worse off I think."

"Right. We both don't know anything or anyone around here. Besides…how do we know Chrom's name?"

"I don't know…but one thing's for sure, our survival depends on him. We should stay with him. At least until we know what to do and where to go."

"I agree. But, we need something to defend ourselves with."

Ren looked down on his belt and saw a sword already at his side. It was made of Bronze. Not the sharpest metal out there, but it was better than having nothing at all. "Odd…say Stella, do you already have a sword?"

Stella checked her own belt and sure enough, a sword identical to Ren's own blade was strapped to her side. Both of them wondered why they didn't feel them against their legs at all, or how Chrom and the others didn't notice them either. Stella felt something heavy also strapped to her lower back and tugged at it. Ren also did the same, and two different books fell loose and into their hands, one dark red with a flame symbol in Stella's, another light blue with two crescent shaped marks shooting outward in Ren's.

"Tomes?" Ren wondered aloud.

"Then does this mean we can use magic?" Stella asked.

"Only one real way to know for sure…" Both of them looked to the town, then to their newly found tools, then to each other. "Are you thinking what I'm thinking, Stella?" Ren asked her with a sly smile.

"If going into town and helping Chrom is what you're thinking, then yes." She nodded with her own smile.

"Cool. Then let's go! If we hurry, we might be able to catch up to them." And with that, the two of them ran as hard as they could to the town after the Shepherds.

* * *

As Chrom, Lissa, Frederick rounded a corner, Chrom stopped them to peek out from behind it out onto the market square. Several bandits were pilfering things from the stands while more were terrorizing the helpless citizens. Chrom's eyes locked onto one over by a stone bridge leading to the town's bell tower. His differently arranged barbarian garb from the rest of the brigands singled him out as the leader. In his arm was a girl around her mid-teens with long teal hair tied into two long twin tails that reached down to her feet. From his spot Chrom could make out what the leader was saying.

"Gwa ha ha! Get to it, lads! Grab anything shiny, and put the rest to the torch! We gots an example to set for these Ylissean types! Ain't that right, lass?" The bandit leader blew his breath in the maiden's face, making her grimace. "Stay away from me! Oh Gods…HELP!"

"Go on my pretty! Squeal for someone to save ya! Make me day!" The leader crowed.

"You got it then, swine." Chrom muttered under his breath. He turned to Lissa and Frederick. "Ready?"

Both of them nodded. "Then let's go."

"Chrom! Wait!" Chrom turned to see Ren and Stella catching up to them and joining them.

"Ren? Stella? You followed us! Why?"

Ren wiped his brow a little. "We figured you could use some help. We're armed, and we both know our way around a fight, if you'll have us."

Chrom nodded. "Strength in numbers- Of course. All right, stay close!"

As they moved into a suitable spot to launch an attack, Frederick spoke. "Remember Ren, Stella, we face practiced thieves and murderers. They will grant us no quarter. It's kill or be killed."

"I know. But today's not our day to die, right Ren?" Stella asked her partner.

"You bet Stella! We all pay attention and watch each other's backs, we'll make it out in one piece." Ren replied back, his sword already in his hand.

Chrom noticed this. "That's a sword and…a tome? You can use magic?"

Ren looked at his tome. "I believe so… I think we both can."

"'You believe so?'" Chrom asked with a nervous glance. "Maybe I should stay a few paces back while you two make sure…"

A sudden rush came over Ren as he grasped the Tome in one hand and the sword in the other. He felt like he had used magic before, and this sudden feeling, this sort of magical feeling felt very familiar to him.

"No, I can control it, I'm sure. Now…how did this work again…? Ah, yes!" He centered his gaze on one of the bandits threatening a small girl and focused. Arcane glyphs surrounded him as he readied himself. Out of the corner of his eye, he could see Stella doing the same thing right beside him, her sights set on the same bandit. Both of them spun and fired their spells, one made of arcane fire, one that moved the very air itself, at the bandit. He never saw what hit him as he fell to the ground, dead.

"We..we did it!" Stella exclaimed.

Ren saw some of the bandits noticing their friend being taken out by their spells and began to storm their positions. "Not yet we haven't, here they come!" He quickly fetched his sword and stored his tome as a bandit brought his axe down on him. He dodged to the side and spun-slashed at the bandit's face, killing him. Stella kept her tome out and nimbly dodged to the left of another bandit's sword strike while sending Fire straight into his chest. The bandit cried bloody murder as he burned alive as Frederick piked one of his friends with his Lance. Chrom joined Ren in cutting down three more, but a bandit got a lucky break as his axe made contact with Ren's shoulder, making a nasty cut. Crying out in pain, he ran the perp through before clutching his arm. It looked bad, blood was coming out of the point the bandit made contact through his robes.

"Let me see that!" Lissa exclaimed as she ran over to him. She muttered some words that Ren didn't understand while a green light came forth from her staff and onto his wound. The cut sealed itself completely along with some of the pain being relieved.

"Thank you, Lissa." Ren thanked.

"Don't mention it!" Lissa smiled. "I may not be able to attack like Chrom, but when you get injured? I'LL be the one stitching your bones back together, care of my trusty staff!"

"Great. Be careful out there!" Ren said as he headed for the bridge. Lissa nodded cheerfully as she went to find her brother and Frederick, who were taking on multiple bandits at once.

Ren reached the bridge as Stella joined him, and they faced down the bandit leader. Seeing them, he grinned a nasty smile and threw the teal haired girl to the ground, making his way to the middle of the bridge. "Here sheepy sheepy! Come to the slaughter!"

In a deft movement, the bandit leader shoved Ren down to the ground and held Stella up by the throat. Gasping for air, she launched a Fireball in his face. He screamed in pain and dropped her as Ren got to his feet. Dousing his face off with some water, the bandit leader roared and charged Stella with axe in hand. Stella couldn't prepare another spell in time, but Ren was right by her and pushed her out of harm's way and blocked the blow with his sword. As the two dominated for supremacy, Stella switched for her sword and slashed the leader across the back of his knees. The leader began to fall backward, and Ren and Stella thrust their swords into the leader's midsection, killing him.

Ren and Stella alike were panting when the teal haired girl plus Chrom, Lissa, and Frederick caught up to them.

"Ren, Stella! Are you two alright?" Chrom asked.

"Thanks Chrom, we're alright." Stella replied.

"Oh thank you brave souls so much!" The teal haired girl cried as she hugged both Ren and Stella. "I knew the divine dragon Naga wouldn't abandon us like this! Thank you for saving me and this town!"

"Er…no problem?" Ren replied. Stella looked very confused as she was hugged by the girl.

"Are you unhurt milady?" Chrom asked her.

She turned to Chrom. "Mm-mm! I'm just fine Sir…?"

"Call me Chrom. This is Lissa and Frederick. The two you hugged are Ren and Stella."

She bowed. "It's nice to meet all of your acquaintances!"

Frederick, watchful and alert as always spoke next when he saw her garb. "You're a cleric, sister? Where is your church?"

"Yes I am Sir Frederick! I'm from Ylisstol. I'm supposed to be on my pilgrimage."

Frederick smiled. "Ah yes, the one where one must travel to all the Churches in Ylisse and pray to the divine dragon. Correct?"

The girl nodded. "Yes sir! Although…I'm sort of stuck here."

"Stuck?" Ren asked. "Why?"

"Well you see…the areas outside of towns are plagued with bandits. Even the main roads aren't safe. So I've made my journey along with an escort. The thing is, she took up another job along with mine, and she hasn't returned yet. I was waiting for her in this town when the bandits attacked. Until she returns, I can't make the journey back to Ylisstol safely."

"So you think your friend is…?"

"..What? Dead?" She started to laugh. "Oh that's a good one Sir Ren…there's no way a couple of bandits will take down Rock. No way!"

"Rock? Is that your escort's name?"

"Someone call for me?" A voice from behind him said. Ren and the others turned and saw a girl with long black twin tail hair and radiant blue eyes with her hand on her hip looking their way. She had on mostly black mercenary armor, although her midsection was exposed revealing two scars on her left rib and her right kidney.

"ROCK!" The teal haired cleric full on glomped the girl named Rock. "Thank gods you're all right!"

Rock looked around her and at the bandit corpses scattered around the market square. "Seems like you had fun without me Miku."

"Yeah, well being taken prisoner by brigands is not my idea of fun." Miku said.

Rock then looked to the others. "Make some new friends?"

Miku nodded cheerfully. "These are the people who rescued me! Their names are Chrom, Lissa, Frederick, Ren, and Stella." You should have seen them all Rock! They were awesome!"

Rock's gaze didn't change. "Hm. Well, thanks for getting Miku out of trouble. Now if you'll excuse us, we have something to do."

"Wait a minute Rock! These people could help us! There's greater strength in numbers! They're all going to the capital too, let's at least tag along with them!" She turned to Chrom. "You wouldn't mind, would you Sir Chrom?"

"Not at all actually." He replied. "She's right Rock, there is greater strength in numbers. We should travel together."

"Are you certain milord?" Frederick asked.

"Positive."

Rock looked at the group up and down, as if to size them up. Finally she sighed. "…Fine. But none of you better slow me down, got it?"

"Sure. Welcome aboard you two." Chrom greeted.

Rock turned back to where she came from. "I need to collect a payment for a job before we go. I'll find you when we're ready. Miku?"

"Right!" Miku skipped over to Rock's side. "We'll be right back Chrom!"

Chrom and the others waved them off. As they left, Stella sighed.

"Well, I guess that's that then." She said.

"Lucky for the town, we were close by. But holy wow, Stella! You and Ren were incredible!" Lissa marveled with sparkly eyes. "Swords, sorcery, AND tactics! Is there anything you can't do?"

"You two certainly aren't helpless victims. That's for sure." Chrom said.

"Indeed. Perhaps you might even be capable of an explanation for how you came here?" Frederick questioned.

"B-but…" Stella started to tell him they already told him, but Ren answered first.

"I understand your skepticism, Sir Frederick. And we can't explain why only some knowledge has returned to us. But please, believe us. We have shared all that we know."

"You fought to save Ylissean lives." Chrom said, giving a warm smile. "My heart says that's enough."

"And your mind, milord? Will you not heed its counsel as well?"

"Frederick, the Shepherds could use someone with Ren and Stella's talents. We've brigands and unruly neighbors, all looking to bloody our soil. Would you really have us lose such able tacticians? Besides, I believe their story, odd as it might be.

They both smiled. "Th-thank you, Chrom." Stella said.

"So how about it?" Chrom extended his hand to both of them. "Will you join us, Ren? Stella?"

Ren looked at Stella, and Stella looked at Ren. They both knew each other's answer. They both took Chrom's hand firmly.

"We would be honored."

* * *

They didn't have to wait very long for Miku and Rock to come back. The sound of gold jingling around could be heard before they even could be seen.

"We're ready anytime you are." Rock said to Chrom.

"Right." He noticed Frederick examining the bandit corpses. "Uhh, Frederick? What are you doing?"

"Did you notice, milord?" Came the reply. "The brigands spoke with a Plegian accent."

"Plegian? What's that?" Stella asked.

"Plegia is Ylisse's westerly neighbor. They send small bands into our territory, hoping to instigate a war." Chrom explained.

Lissa looked down at her feet. "And it's the poor townsfolk who suffer! Totally innocent, and totally helpless..."

"They do have us, milady: Shepherds to protect the sheep." Frederick reassured her. "Do not be swept up in your anger. It will cloud your judgment."

"I know, I know... Don't worry. I'll get used to all this."

Miku nodded. "Yes, it certainly is a tough world. But we have to try our best regardless. Right Rock?"

Rock silently nodded.

Suddenly, a villager ran up to the group. "Milord, please! You must stay the night! We are simple folk of simple means, but we would gladly toast your valor with a feast!"

Frederick smiled. "A most generous offer, sir, and no doubt your hospitality would be grand... But I'm afraid we must hurry back to Ylisstol. There are other matters we must attend to."

Lissa, however, had other plans… "Dark meat only for me, medium well, and no salt in the soup. I simply— Wait, what?! We're not staying?! But, Frederick, it's nearly dark!"

"When night falls, we'll camp. Eat off the land, make our bed of twigs and the like... I believe you mentioned you would be "getting used to this"?"

"Frederick? Sometimes I hate you."

Ren chuckled a little bit at the scene. "You've quite the stern lieutenant there."

"Yeah, well, "stern" is one name for it. I can think of a few others!" Lissa said with a pouty face.

"Frederick only smiles when he's about to bring down the axe." Chrom joked.

"Duly noted." Ren said, shifting away from Frederick a little.

Frederick cleared his throat. "You do realize I AM still present?"

"Oh, we realize." Chrom said with a sly smirk as Stella giggled and a small smile could be seen on Rock's face.

"Milord remains as amusing as ever. Now then, shall we be going?"

"All right, all right. Ready to go, Ren? The capital isn't far."

"You bet! Ready to go Stella?"

"Yep!"

Rock leaned off the wall she was resting on. "Then let's waste no more time here. To Ylisstol with haste."


	2. Unwelcome Changes Part 1

"I told you—it's getting dark already!" Lissa complained as the group of seven trudged on down the path. "...Ech! And now the bugs are out! Noisy, disgusting bugs that buzz around and crawl all over and bite you when—"She suddenly started to spit and hack. "Agh! Won goph in mah mouph! Blech! Ptooey!"

"Aw, come on now, Lissa. Hardship builds character." Chrom replied while Rock seemed to be amused by the young girl's antics. "Want to help me gather firewood?"

"Tpht! Tpht! Yeeeeeuck! ...I think I swallowed it... I'll pass on finding firewood, thanks. I think I've built QUITE enough character for one day!"

Suddenly a low growl was heard from two stomachs simultaneously.

"We should probably think about food. I don't know about you all, but I'm starving." Ren said while Stella clutched her stomach and nodded in agreement.

"Yes, I should think a little hunting and gathering is in order." Frederick replied. "Now, who wants to clear a campsite?"

A little while later…

Chrom, Frederick, and Rock came back with a lucky quarry of bear just as Lissa, Miku, Ren, and Stella finished preparing the campsite for the night. Before long, everyone was digging in.

"Mmm... It's been too long since I last had bear meat." Chrom said after taking a bite. "Delicious!" As he continued eating, he noticed his sister wasn't eating at all. "...What's wrong, Lissa? Dig in."

"Pass! ...Gods, couldn't you spear us an animal normal people eat for once? I mean, come on! Who eats bear?! You're meddling with the food chain. Right, Stella?" She waited for an answer but didn't get one. "...Uh, Stella?" She looked over to Stella and saw that she was devouring her share of bear at a voracious pace alongside Ren, who, although not eating quite as fast as her, was still eating fast enough to signify that he was famished.

Lissa sighed at the sight. "I suppose a person would enjoy just about anything after not eating for days..." She said quietly as both teens put their plates down near the campfire and simultaneously said, "More please!"

Chrom smiled and nodded at the two, and without hesitation they stripped off more bear to eat. "Just eat it, Lissa. Meat is meat."

"Since when does meat smell like old boots?! Wait, I take that back—boots smell better!"

"Every experience makes us stronger, milady. Even those we don't enjoy." Frederick chimed in.

Lissa eyed him suspiciously. "Oh really? Then why don't I see YOU eating, Frederick?"

"Me? Oh, well... I'm not hungry. I...I had a large lunch! Yes, quite."

"Yeah right, Frederick!"

Miku quietly giggled to herself as she mentally prayed to Naga, thanking her for the food her company and her were eating while Rock silently chewed her food, overall amused by her travelling companions.

After packing the remains of the bear into containers to be eaten later, the group cleared the campsite and turned in for the night. AS Ren was getting ready though, he noticed Stella had disappeared from the group. He looked back to the others. He didn't want to burden them in searching for his counterpart. She probably just took a walk around cam. "That's what I'd do. He thought to himself. Without a word, he left Chrom and his friends alone for a while and looked for Stella. Sure enough, she was sitting in a part of the woods where the sky could be clearly seen, the light of the full moon shining down on her dark hair and her peculiar sky blue eyes.

"Stella?"

She snapped out of her trance and looked to him. "Oh, Ren! I'm sorry, I didn't see you there."

He walked up to her. "…Mind if I sit with you?"

"No, not at all." She patted the ground next to her, and he took a seat cross legged beside her.

"So, how come you're out here all alone? It's dangerous to go out all by one's self, especially if there are bandits somewhere nearby."

She sighed and gazed back up at the stars. "I don't know…I guess I needed time alone to myself."

"To think about things?" He asked.

"Mhmm. I guess we're not so different in the way we think huh?" She closed her eyes. "I've been thinking about a lot of things since after we stopped those bandits and came here. Who I am, who you are, where we are, and I guess how we got here are some of the things I ponder…you've been thinking about all this too right?"

He nodded. "Yeah. It's hard not to think about all that. But, if we keep pressing forward, we'll get the answers we seek. Who knows? Maybe there will be someone who knows who we are if we look around the capital. Chrom tells me it's a big place, so there has to be at least one person who does."

Stella's expression brightened. "Right!"

Ren smiled. "So don't worry, no matter what happens, we'll get through it together!"

"I couldn't agree more…" Stella said as she took Ren's hand in her's. And for a while they sat there watching the moon and the stars together.

"…..?" Chrom's eyes shot awake as a dark and foreboding feeling washed over him in his sleep. He sat up and looked at the others. Frederick sat cross legged yet was managing to find some rest, Ren and Stella were laying down across from each other, Lissa was tucked into a little ball to his left, and Rock was sleeping while sit leaning on a tree, with Miku resting her head in her lap. Everyone was where they were when he had gone to sleep, but something else, this dreaded feeling tugged at him in his dreams. He got up and searched the area from where he was standing. It didn't look like there were any threats nearby in the immediate vicinity, but he still didn't feel at ease. He heard someone yawn behind him, and he knew it belonged to Lissa.

"Yaaaaawn…What's wrong Big Brother?" she asked him with her eyes half open.

"Ah, Lissa. Sorry, I didn't mean to wake you but…I feel something is amiss here…"

"Define something."

"I don't know…I'm going to have a look around."

Lissa sprung up. "Not without me you aren't!"

Chrom smiled. "Heh, thanks Lissa."

She nodded as the two of them walked around the perimeter of the camp. They circled the edge of camp for thirty minutes, and all the while…not a sound could be heard.

"It sure is dark…" Lissa said as she looked around nervously. "…and quiet. Where did all the birds and animals go?"

Chrom could feel her uneasiness too. All while they walked, not a bird was singing, a mouse squeaking, or even a cricket chirping. "Something is very wrong here…"

Meanwhile in a campsite not so far away, another traveler awoke to the eerie quiet. He was usually used to the sounds of nature lulling him and his companion into a restful sleep, but this night was unnaturally quiet…almost ominous. Rubbing his differently colored eyes, he too looked around his campsite and found absolutely nothing.

"I don't like this." He mumbled as he went back inside the tent. "Lily." He whispered as he gently shook the blonde haired woman sleeping across from him. She groaned and stretched. "…What's the matter Ruko?"

"Get your tomes ready. We may have a fight on our hands." Ruko replied.

Lily rubbed her eyes quickly. "Come again? Who's stupid enough to attack us?"

Ruko nervously looked outside as he grabbed his bow and slung a quiver of arrows around his back. "…I don't know….and that's what bothers me. Listen."

Lily strained to hear something. "…Way too quiet, even for nighttime." She said as she took a yellow book with a jagged symbol on it and put on her mage hat.

"Exactly." Ruko glanced outside quickly. "It looks clear…but be ready for anything…" He said as he went back outside the tent while nocking an arrow. Lily followed right behind him, ready to open the book and cast a spell at the drop of a pin. After they had walked a ways away from their tent, Ruko stopped. The ground underneath them suddenly began to shake as a terrible quake rocked the foundations of the area.

"Ahhhh! Ruko!" Lily screamed.

"Gah! What in the seven hells is going on!?" Ruko yelled as the ground shook even more. The two struggled to remain on their feet as a huge fault line appeared and filled the forest with roaring hot magma, setting trees and ground aflame with earthen blood.

"Lily! We need to get out of here right now!" Ruko called over the cascade of noise and death.

"Agreed! I'll get to the tent and pack as much things as we-"

Ruko grabbed Lily's arm and pulled her back. "No! None of what we possess now is worth gambling our lives away! Leave it and let's run!"

"But Ruko-!"

"Don't argue! Just RUN!" Ruko managed to scream out as a huge chunk of molten rock exploded a few feet away from him, sending a heat wave splashing over his body and knocking his hearing for a loop.

"D-Damn it all!" Lily cried as she and Ruko began to run away from the fiery death and destruction. The forest was ablaze with thick fire and smoke that stung their eyes as they ran, hopping over logs and cutting through thick brushes.

"Hey! This way, Hurry!" Came a voice right beside them. Ruko turned and saw a blue haired young man along with a blonde girl running to their left, the young man beckoning them to come along.

Lily coughed a fit as she struggled to breathe through the smoke. "R-Ruko…cough cough!"

"Come on Lily!" Ruko picked her up princess style and started to carry Lily in the direction of the blue haired youth. "Just a little more and we'll be out of here…!"

Suddenly a pillar of flames shot up between the young lord and the archer and effectively separated them.

"Ugh! Just my luck!" Ruko cursed.

"Are you alright over there?!" Chrom called through the flames.

Ruko strained to see through the fire, tears streaming down his face mixing in with the sweat of intense heat. "Agh…we're stuck! We can't get through!"

"Hold on! We'll find a way to come to you!" Chrom looked frantically for a way to get to the two young women, his eyes darting from all across the flaming barrier. It was an intense flame that burned forth from the ground. To jump through it would mean burning to death before he even made it through to the other side. There were no gaps in between. They were perfectly encased in a ring of fire.

"Gods!" Chrom exclaimed as Lissa looked on in horror. "What can I do!?"

"CAPTIAN CHROM!"

Chrom heard a voice call from behind him and tuned to see who it belonged to, but he was met with a flash of white with a slight tinge of green. "Wha…?"

The blur swooped over the fire and landed inside of it. Squinting through the inferno, he could make out that the white blur that rushed past him was a Pegasus, and a green haired girl was helping the two women onto it. After she got on, the Pegasus took flight once more. And not a moment too soon, as the ground soon collapsed into a sea of magma.

As the Pegasus landed, the two women slid off the saddle dazed and weak from heat exhaustion, but otherwise safe. "Are you two alright?" Lissa asked them with her Heal staff in her hands ready for the worst.

"Ugh…*cough cough*…thank you. We'll be alright." Ruko wheezed as he got fresh air into his lungs. Lily heavily coughed up a storm.

"Ru…ko….I…can't…br…" She struggled.

"Hang on miss! You're suffering from smoke inhalation, but I can fix this! Just hold on okay!?" Lissa tapped Lily's chest with her staff and a green aura poured out of it and into Lily's mouth.

"Will she be alright?" Chrom asked his sister with the green haired Pegasus rider standing by his side with her mount behind her.

"She'll be ok, she just inhaled a little too much smoke. I can fix this, but it's going to take some time." She said as she concentrated and mumbled something that was uninterpretable. As she did, the green light from her staff became brighter. Ruko held Lily's hand as the procedure began.

"Um, Princess Lissa?" The Pegasus rider said with a shaking hand pointed to the sky. A strange portal opened up in the twilight and several figures fell from it and into the brush, only to stand back up and leer at the group with red lifeless eyes and making sounds that contradicted their humanoid appearances and supporting a more monstrous entity. "I think we're running out time."

Chrom gritted his teeth as he faced down the abominations. "Gumi." He said to the Pegasus rider. "Listen to me."

"Y-yes Captain Chrom?"

"Not far from here is a campsite, the very same one were using. Frederick and a few friends of mine as well as two new Shepherds are there. I need you to go to them and bring them here." He reached for Falchion, one of Ylisse's most valuable treasures and his birthright, and drew it. The reds and oranges of the fires reflected off of the blade as he took a battle ready stance. "I'll hold them here as long as I can."

The Pegasus rider named Gumi nodded and slid a pair of red goggles over her eyes. "Yes sir!" She hopped onto her mount. "Gods watch over you!" She called as she took off towards the skies again.

"And Gods give you speed." Chrom whispered silently as the first foe charged towards him. He ran to meet it and with a mighty yell, ducked underneath the foe's axe strike and sliced perfectly through its side. The enemy didn't even flinch, instead rotating its head a perfect 180 degrees and spun struck at him. Chrom barely managed to block the blow and struggled to get some leverage, its strength overmatching his own. Using that to his advantage, he gave way and stepped out of the way of his foe and leapt up into the air before impaling Falchion straight through the abomination's heart. It groaned a raspy groan as it disintegrated into a purple mist. Chrom tried to catch his breath a little, but soon after his sister screamed. "Lissa!"

One of the creatures had strolled up to the three women while he was fighting the other. Lissa had stopped healing Lily and was frozen in fear, using her staff to shield herself. Ruko laid on the ground, a small blood puddle was piddling from a deep cut in his shoulder as he went into shock. The foe lifted his axe as Chrom rushed for all he was worth to save them, but too late, as the axe began to come down. "NOOOO!" He yelled.

*CLANG!*

Chrom stopped in his tracks at the sound. There, in between Lissa and the foe was a young man with blue hair and a mask covering his face blocking the blow from progressing with his sword. Lissa opened her eyes and gasped as the lad grunted under the weight of pressure. Small sparks could be seen flying off the sword as the foe attempted to overpower this interloper. He snapped to Chrom and yelled. "HELP!"

"Right!" Chrom acknowledged as he rushed again at the foe. He yelled and the beast turned its head torwards him, allowing the lad to wind up for a finishing slash. The two sliced through the demon, and it faded away with a howl of pain.

"Chrom!" Ren's voice rang out as Chrom and the mystery boy both sheathed their swords. Ren, Stella, Frederick, Rock, Miku, and Gumi all ran up to the young Lord as Lissa breathed a sigh of relief. She then set to work finishing up curing Lily and then began healing Ruko.

"Chrom! Are you okay? What happened?" Ren asked.

Chrom sighed. "It's a long story. Just know that this person here saved Lissa from…?" He turned to show the group who had saved her, but he had vanished. "Wh-where did he go? Hmm…in any case, all is well for now." He looked to Gumi and smiled. "Thanks Gumi. You did great, I knew I could count on you."

"Millord." She replied while bowing her head.

"Gumi!" Miku glomp-tackled the young girl off her Pegasus and started hugging her tightly. "I'm so happy to see you again!"

"Oof! Hi Miku! I'm glad to see you too! Aren't you supposed to be on your pilgrimage?"

"We completed it." Rock replied with a hand on her hip. "We were on our way back when all hell broke loose. What happened here?"

Frederick took his lance in hand and glared. "We may just find out soon enough. Look!"

Everyone looked over to where Frederick was looking and saw dozens more of the creatures Chrom had slain getting ready to assault their position.

"Everyone spread out!" Stella called out. The group did as they were told and spread out across the field as she took her Fire tome in her hand. Ren unsheathed his Bronze sword and stood poised next to Chrom and Rock. Miku, Gumi and Frederick stood ready near Stella.

"Listen everyone!" Lissa shouted. "It's going to take some time to heal this girl, so cover me as best as you can okay?" As she said this, she thought she could hear Ruko say something under her breath, but didn't press her for it.

"Got it." Ren replied. "Me, Chrom, and Rock will slow them down as much as we can from the front. Stella, you and your team pick off any stragglers we miss. Protect Lissa!"

The monsters howled, and they charged the front.


End file.
